JAMES H. RAUCH

James Harry Rauch, 85, passed away Sunday, Dec. 23, 2007, at home surrounded by his family, after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

A funeral service will be held Friday at 11 a.m. from the chapel of Howell Funeral Home and Crematory in Goldsboro. The Rev. Bill Garner will officiate. Burial will follow at Evergreen Memorial Cemetery in Princeton.

Mr. Rauch was born Nov. 24, 1922, in Cleveland, Pa., to Melvin Earl and Nellie Owens Rauch. He had many special years growing up with
his grandmother, Lucinda
Owens, and great-grandmother, Mamie Richardson. He was married 65 years to the late Dorothy Kramer Rauch.

He graduated from Clearfield High School. He spent four years in the Army serving in the Pacific Theater and in Korea. After coming home from the war, he worked on the railroad and graduated from Penn State University. They moved to Somerset, Pa., and he spent 25 years as a salesman for Catepillar Diesel Equipment. After retiring in 1984, he and Dorothy lived in Somerset, where they were active members at Calvary United Methodist Church. He was a lifetime member of the Clearfield Volunteer Fire Department, a Mason in the 32nd degree and a member of the Jaffa Shrine Lodge in Altoona, Pa.

Jim was a loving and kind man. He had many friends and neighbors. He was a wonderful husband, father and "Bampa" to all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He is survived by a daughter, Camille Smith of LaGrange; a son, Gary Rauch and his wife, Kim, of Greensburg, Pa; a sister, Alice Kline of Conneaut, Ohio; seven grandchildren, Ted Zeigler Jr. and his wife, Amy, of Connellsville, Pa., Susan Boswell and her husband, Keith, of Lucama, Heather Ham and her husband, Jamie, of LaGrange, Stephanie Rauch and her fiancé, Eric Wolfgang, Ryan Rauch, Angela Rauch, Caitlyn and Sara Harcharik, all of Greensburg, Pa.; and six great-grandchildren, Lindsay and Timothy Zigler, Alex-ander and Aaron Alves, Matthew and Maura Ham.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Rauch; and a son-in-law, Theodore Zigler.

A visitation will be held Thursday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. at Howell Funeral Home and Crematory in Goldsboro.

Although flowers are welcome, memorial contributions may be directed to the Shriner's Hospitals for Children, 1645 W. Eight St., Erie, Pa.

The family is being served by Howell Funeral Home and Crematory where condolences to the Rauch family may be directed to www.howellfuneral.com.